Pontoon-crane.



F. E. Hum-1 R. EfSHEAL.

PONTOON CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. I914.

1,161,679. Patented NOV.. 23, 1915.

3 SHEETS HEET 23 s I p I INVENTORS Way MW COLUMBIA PLANoaRM-u L'O WASHlNUTON, 0. cv

F. E. HULETT & R. E. SHEAL.

PONTOON CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. 1914.

1,161,679. Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NVENTORS 5 M IVITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co,,w1\smNa'roN, D4 c.

F. E. HULETT ,& R. E. SHEAL.

PONTOON CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1914.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTORSE Attorney COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH '10.. WASHINGTON. D. :4

i To all whom it may concern:

UMTEDsTA'rEg PTA FRANK E. HULET'I A D ROBERT E. serum, or o EvELAND, 01110, ASSIGNORS To HE WELLMAN-SEAVER-MORGAN COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

roEToon-enAn App1ieationfi1edJune15,1914. Serie1Ne.845,269.

Be it knownthat we, FRANK E. H'ULETT and ROBERT E. SH AL, of'Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and usefullmprovements'in'Pontoon-Cranes; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,-clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as Will enable othersskilled in the art to which it-appertains to make and use the same.

' Our invention relates to an improvement in pontoon cranes. r

Pontoon cranes, muse at thepresent t me, are of two types, one known'as thebrldge type, and the other as the revolving-type having a boom With'a variable radius. The

chief objectionto the bridge type is instability in rough waters, and thedifficulties of maneuvering it to place it properlyin posi tion alongside of a ship, and the chief objections to the rotating type are instability in rough waters; requires a large and unw1eldly pontoon; and cannot be used to advantage 1n making llfts from large boats on account of the limited space on the boats for the rotation of the boom. Again both of these types of pontoon cranes are limited to use in inland and still waters, and it'has never been considered safe to take either of these heavy and high cranes to sea in an assembled condition.

The object of this invention is to provide a pontoon crane possessing the advantages ofboth the bridge and revolving types, without some of the objectionable features of each, and it consists in the parts and combi-' nation of parts as will be more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing the boom retracted; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the boom projected andalso showing the main and auxiliary trolley and hoist ropes or cables, and the mechanism for projecting and retracting the boom; Fig. 3 is an end view; Fig. 1 a diagrammatic view in plan showing the shape of the pontoon and the manner of mooring the same to the side of a vessel, and Fig- 5 is an enlarged view of part of Fig. 2 showing the gearing at the lower end of the boom. v

1 represents a pontoon rectangular in shape, and provided at'its front endwith a curved fender 2, adapted when resting in contact with the side of a vessel, to permit particular part of the deck. T

sshown In F 1g. 4: we provide the pontoon with four capstans 3, located adjacentv the four corners, and connect afcablenor chalnffrom eachto. fixed fastenings 4 on the vessel, so that by proper manipulationof the capstans, the pontoon can: be swung in either dlrectlon, the'slde of the vessel forming'the fulcrum for the pontoon.

which,- on which the maintrolley travels, is

which latter move in guide ways 9 formed 1 in the sidesoftheinc'lined tra ckway 10, on

which the rear end of the boom travels. Th s trackway is slightly wider than the.

rear endof the boom so as'to receivethe latter between its side members, and the latterare providedwith the guide wa vs 9 in which.

the trunnions 8travel, the' said guideways 9 being closed at their forward ends so as to limit the forward movement of the boom. The trackway 10 is supported" on suitable columns or posts l1, properly braced and secured to thepontoon, and it is provided at each side, adjacent the guide ways 9, with the upwardly facing racks 12, which extend throughout the length of the trackway. The trackway 10 is abruptly inclined upwardly from its rear end preferably to slightly less than one half of its length, and is then gradually inclined upwardly to its front end. The trunnions 8, may be, and in this instance are hollow for the shaft 13 shown in Fig. 1. which carries at'its outer ends the toothed wheels 14, which are in mesh with the racks, the shaft 13 being actuated by the motor 15 and gearing 16, 1 7 and 18 carried by and on the pontoon to be swung slightly so as to I carry 'ltsboom into positionover a hatchor '54s the boom the; forward portion 6 of r the boom at the rear end thereof, asshown of its side members, as at 20, to suitable'supporting members 21 firmly anchored to the pontoon. The boom projects through the rocking frame and is j ournaled at its'opposite sides to the side members of the frame 19, as shown at 22.

Thetrackway 10, boom 6 and 7, and rocktrolley 23, and the other end passing around ing frame 19, are so constructed and ar 'rangeclthat the top surface of section 6 of the boom, on which the main trolley travels,

will remain approximately,horizontatboth when the boom is projected as 1n Fig. 2,

whenit is retracted, as in Fig. 1, and also during its movement from one extreme to theother; fWhenthe boomzis projected, the rocking frame is inclined forwardly, so that the boom will be held in such position by gravity. In retracting the boom, as soon as the rocking frame 19; passes its vertical cenr i ter, the weightof the boom will carry the latter to'its retracted position; The boom when retracted, is preferably within the outlines of the pontoon, andwhen retracted is in its lowest position thus lowering the centerof gravityand increasing the stability of thepontoon. As the boom'is projected, it is also elevated, andwhen inworking position it projects well over the bow of the pontoonand in aposition to handle loads on the vessel or other object to which it may be moored. z a y .In' the drawings we have shown a main trolley23 mounted on trackway on the top of horizontal section 6 of the boom, and an auxiliary trolley 24 on a track carried by the lower member' of section sheave 82 at the front end of boom, and

thence back andsecured to the front end of the trolley. The hoist cables 33 for this trolley, arecentrally looped around sheave 34 at the front end of the boom, and then pass over sheaves 35 on theboom, and sheaves 36 on the trolley, down and under sheaves on the main hoist block 37, up andover sheaves 38 on the trolley, down and under sheaves on the block 37 and thence up and over rear sheavesSS on the trolley. From thence they pass rearwardly around sheaves 39, 40, 41 and 42 downand around sheaves 43 adj acent the journals of the rocking frame, and thence back to the main hoist drum 44 to which they are secured in the usual manner.

The cable 45 for the traverse of the auxiliary trolley 24, is connected at one end to the 7 forward end of said trolley, and passes for wardly and around sheave 46 at the front end of the boom and from thence rearwardly around sheave 47, down and around the drum 48, up over another sheave 47 and for- ,wardly to the rear end. .of the trolley to The hoist rope 52, for the auXiliary trolley 24 is secured at its front end to the boom at 53 and passes rearwardly over a sheave on the trolley,down and under a sheave in the hoist block 54; up and over a sheave on the trolley;- down and under a sheave in the hoist block, up and over a rear sheave on the trolley, and thence ,rearwardly over sheave 55 and down to hoist drum 56 which is actuated [by a motor, 57 and suitable gearing, the said motor, drum and gearing being carried on the boom. With this constructionit will be seen that the boomcan be moved from one position to the other without affecting the several cables.

'While we have shown and described mechanism for actuating the boom, and also mechanism for the several trolleys, wewould have it distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves to such details, as our present invention relates broadly to the mannerof mounting the boom on apontoon, and not to the mechanism for actuating the boom or the hoist mechanism. a.

With, a crane as above described the boom may be retracted within the outlines of the pontoon, thereby accomplishing two important results, to wit,lowering itself toward the deck of the pontoon thereby rendering the-structure as a whole more stable against 5 wind and waves, and permitting the crane to, approach the work without interfering projectionsa When in its lowered position it is automatically heldfast in such position and is capable of being towed to sea in its assembled position, and is available for moving around inland harbors and bays from, one location to another; It can be brought alongside a ship or dock with no projections extending. beyond the limits of the pontoon itself, and, when in positioin itsboom can be projected from the pontoon between masts or other projection by a longitudinal movement. By rounding the end of thehpontoon and thearrangement of capstans as shown, the pontoon can be slightly rotated rela-v tively to the work on which it is engaged, and thus avail itself of the advantage of the rotating type of crane in placing and displacing work.

Another advantage of the type of crane is that the loads are all taken care of by simple beams and struts, which permits of lighter and simpler construction and is entirely oneended, the machinery all being located on the opposite end fromthe loads handled, and assisting materially in balancing the float, the other or'front end of the deck being free or available for depositing the loads. i

Inthe present. instance we have. shown the machinery and boiler house at the extreme rear end, and the cage 58 for the operator in an elevated position at the front end of the trackway 10.

It is evident that numerous changes and modifications might be made without departing from the spirit of our invention, hence we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the details but consider ourselves at liberty to make radical de arture therefrom.

aving fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. The combination of a pontoon, means on said pontoon for supporting one end of a boom, a boom having sliding engagement with said supporting means, and means for raising and lowering the boom and for moving it longitudinally, whereby the boom will project over one end of the pontoon when in its raised position and will be withdrawnv to a position over the pontoon when in its lowered position.

2. The combination of a pontoon, a boom mounted for longitudinal and vertical movement thereon, and means for shifting the boom to its elevated and projected position and for retracting it to its lowered position over the deck of the pontoon.

3. The combination of a pontoon, a boom having a sliding connection with the pontoon whereby it may be moved longitudinally and means for elevating one end of said boom and projecting it over one end of the pontoon, and for lowering it and re tracting it to a position over the pontoon.

4. The combination of a pontoon, a fixed, support and a rocking support thereon, a,

boom having sliding connection with the fixed support and a pivotal connection with a rocking support, and means for shifting.

the boom to elevated and projected position and for retracting it to its lowered position over the deck of the pontoon.

5. The combination of a pontoon, an inclinedsupport, a rocking support in ad Vance of the inclined support, a boom having a sliding connection with the inclined support and a pivotal connection with said rocking support, and means for elevating and projecting the boom and for lowering and retracting the same.

6. The combination of a pontoon, a boom movable longitudinally thereon, an inclined support with which theboom has a sliding connection, a rocking support for the boom at the front, means for moving the boom longitudinally whereby it will be elevated when projected and lowered when withdrawn onto the pontoon, a trolley mounted to travel on said boom, and means for actuating the trolley.

7 The combination of a pontoon, a boom movable longitudinally thereon so as to project at one end, an inclined support for the rear end of the boom, a rocking support for the boom in advance of the inclined support, means engaging the rear end of the.

I boom in advance of its depending rear portion and a fixed support with which the lower end of said depending portion has sliding connection.

9. The combinationv of a longitudinally movable boom, a rocking support for same intermediate its ends, a fixed support for its rear end, the said boom having sliding connection with said fixed support, a trolley mounted to travel on said boom and means for actuating the trolley.

10. The combination of a longitudinally and vertically movable boom, a fixed support with which one end of the boom has a sliding connection, a rocking support for the other end, whereby when the boom is moved longitudinally it will be raised or lowered, a trolley mounted to move on said boom, and a motor and gearing on the, boom other end whereby when the boom is moved longitudinally it will be raised or lowered, a trolley mounted to travel on the boom and carrying a hoist block and motors and gearingcarried by the boom for actuating the trolley and hoist cables.

12. The combination of a support, a boom having a sliding connection therewith whereby it may move longitudinally, a rocking support for the boom intermediate the ends of the latter, a motor carried by the boom and means actuated by the said motor for sliding the boom longitudinally on its support.

13. The combination of an inclined sup port, a boom having a sliding connection at its rear end with said support, a rocking support for the boom in advance of said inclined support and a motor carried by said boom and means actuated by the motor and engaging means carried by the said inclined support for moving the boom longitudinally.

14. The combination of an inclined snp- )ort havin a rack thereon a boom havin also carried by the boom for rotating the toothed wheel and a rocking support for the outer portion of the boom.

15. The combination of an inclined support having a rack thereon, a boom having a sliding connection at its rear end With said support, a rocking support for the boom intermediate the ends of .the latter, a toothed Wheel carried by the boom adjacent the rear end of the latter and meshing With the rack, and a motor on the boom for actuating said toothed Wheel. Y

'16. The combination of a longitudinally movable boom having a sliding connection with a support at'its rear end, and a rocking support for said boom intermediate its ends, the said rocking support normally Copies of this patent may be obtained for standing at one side of a vertical plane When the boom is projected and at'the other side of said plane When the boom is retracted so that the boom is retained in its two positions by gravity.

In testimonywhereof, We have signed this specification in the presence. of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

" FRANK E. HULETT.

ROBERT E. SHEAL. Vitnesses: W. H. SHEPARD,

F. J. MACDONALD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0. 

